Everyone's Hero re-creates Depression-era America with surprisingly agreeable anachronistic panache, but a sassy ball and bat don't cut it as compelling cartoon characters, and the not-so-human humans never quite do either (Babe Ruth looks like Shrek).

Parents need to know that there's very little in this movie that's objectionable. OK, so it's the same old "persevering against the odds" theme that's been done a million times. That said, it's a pleasant look back at an era when kids plastered their rooms with baseball banners and heroes could be found at every baseball stadium.

Families can talk about the importance of putting family first and plugging through the rough times. They can also talk about dreams and the determination needed to pursue them. Was Yankee right to take off on his own to return the bat? Could he have handled it differently to avoid putting himself in danger? Also, what does it take to be a hero? Who are the real heroes in our lives?

The good stuff

Messages: Yankee takes off on his own to return the bat and encounters peril. Lefty is rude and disrespectful. The kids at the sandlot make fun of Yankee. At least one fart joke. Lying and stealing.

What to watch for

Violence and scariness: The kids at the sandlot throw things at Yankee. Lefty gets kicked in the face and falls onto a railroad track and later gets smacked by the baseball bat. Yankee encounters peril on the trip.

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